


Frozen.

by AuthorInDistress



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Frozen AU, Fairytale romance, Flirting, For Anna's birthday ;), M/M, Short Story, Tony has magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-29
Updated: 2014-03-29
Packaged: 2018-01-17 11:52:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1386640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuthorInDistress/pseuds/AuthorInDistress
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Loki is second in line to the throne, but wants his own, so he decides to seduce his way into another one. Only that doesn't go according to plan when he finds out that Anthony Stark has the exact same powers as he does. </p><p>The powers of Winter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Frozen.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LightNeverFades](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightNeverFades/gifts).



> It's Frozen, but it's twisted ;)

* * *

 

 

It was a rather dull affair, he had to admit. 

Well. Dull in the sense that no one really seemed to actually want to celebrate much. Strewns of papered trinkets hung from the ceiling as he walked through the glamorously decorated hall, nodding his greeting at any that bothered to give him some of theirs first. He was really only here as a representative of Thor's anyway, so he didn't bother with being too polite. Only to an extent that could be used, really. 

Being second in line to the throne, Odin had really given him no choice. Especially since he'd been taught and _drilled_ since birth to believe that he would one day own a throne; only to then be told that _age_ was suddenly more of a deciding factor than ability and that Loki's own ' powers ' were questionable ' _motives_ ' for the throne. It wasn't as though he could turn them off though, so any defense of his was simply ignored and put toward him being as sore a loser as any other lesser Prince. 

Still. It wasn't the end for him. Born to be a King as he'd been made to believe he one day would be, he could still gain a throne in other ways. And he planned too, through the most easiest of methods. 

Seducing the next young beauty that held some royalty too and _marrying_ into a throne. 

Accidents happened too, so he wouldn't even have to like them. Just play nice long enough until he could stage an accident or assassination of some sort, and take the throne in his 'bereavement'. Simple. All he had to count on, though, was whether or not the royalty in question would be easily seduced. He'd poured over heritage and ally books almost an entire week after Odin's announcement of Thor's succession and had looked to see which of the Kingdoms in their isle would be the most powerful, the most rich, and whether they had anyone near enough his age in line to the throne. 

Nilfheimr had the King's niece ready for the throne. She was said to be the opposite to anything beautiful but that she knew her roles well enough. However, the Queen was due for a baby, and if it came out of her all nice and healthy, the niece would then lose her place. And if Loki chose her, so would he. 

Next in his eye was Midgard. King Howard Stark had died with his wife years ago whilst traveling by ship to another isle, where it had then sunk in a storm; killing every passenger. The young son, Anthony Stark, had not taken the throne at his age but his guardian Obadiah Stane had instead become it's steward until he'd become old enough for that responsibility. 

21 years old this year's April. 

Well. It had seemed, then, that Loki was just in time. 

 

So now here he was, dutifully volunteering to represent Thor at a neighboring Kingdom's new coronation; pretending far too easily to not be as bored as he was. At least he wasn't the only one, though. 

Anthony Stark seemed to be bored out of his mind as well - though contrastingly - he didn't really seem to want to hide it from his face at all. He'd also said that he preferred Tony as he'd mentioned before, after Loki had quite literally bumped into him outside of the palace walls, leading toward an argument that had spilled over quite quickly before Tony had then revealed who he was and Loki had switched to his other, more charming self in a flash. It hadn't seemed to work, just yet, however, but he wasn't going to give it up that soon. 

Everyone had a soft spot somewhere. He just had to find this Tony's one. 

He had time, as well, anyway. It wasn't as if he was actually needed back home, in Asgard, and the people here didn't seem to harbor the same hatred for him either. Although, they didn't exactly know about his powers yet, so that was probably the only reason why. He could control it though, so that was pretty easily dealt with anyway. And once he married Tony, he could always convince the kingdom of it's use, instead of danger. 

Now if only he could actually get the Prince away from his guardian, he could manage to have a proper conversation with him. One that _didn't_ include arguments or insults. Leaning against the tables from where he was, he watched as Tony was approached by traders and merchants, asked to dance by single men and women, and told time and time again by Stane to sit up straight, and smile. 

When his gaze was met, he looked away quickly, coyly drawing on a stare until he turned back toward it and gestured at the open balcony doors. Tony raised an eyebrow at him but ignored the request and turned back to woman who was introducing her daughter and assuring that she had amazing skills in several workplaces. And that if Tony really wasn't interested, he could always just employ her anyway.

Tony barely said a word, vaguely acknowledging the both of them and showing more interest in the bowl of punch in the corner of the table. After a while, the woman awkwardly left without an answer and bustled away to avoid the stares of pity that she was getting from the nearest people. Once the crowd of waiters dispersed, Loki still kept a close eye, and saw Stane lean down to whisper into Tony's ear. The Prince - well - newly crowned King, stiffened at whatever was said, stood, and didn't even excuse himself before walking away. He wore silk-red gloves on both hands, embroidered with his initials in gold, and they were clenched as he passed Loki to head toward the balcony doors.

 Finally.

He found him leaning against the rails, looking out at the docked ships and breathing in the cool, night air. "Quite the celebration." He offered as he shut the doors behind him. Startled, Tony spun on his heels, saw him, and then turned back. 

"Yeah." He agreed dully, "Just what I always wanted." The sarcasm didn't go amiss. "A big party to celebrate the last of my freedom." 

Loki hung his arms over the edge of the rails as well, sighing, "The trials of being royalty." He hummed into the air, sucking in a breath before letting it fan out in mist; fading once it began to form the shape of a crown. 

Tony huffed out a soft laugh beside him. "How'd you do that?" 

"Practice." Loki lied, smiling at him, "We never did properly introduce ourselves, did we. Well." His smile became a grin, " _You_ did." 

Tony smiled back at the memory, aware of how rude he had been but clearly deciding not to apologize for it, "I'm guessing you're royalty too, from what you've just said, and I've _probably_ just botched my first alliance meeting. And only in first day of actually being King, too." 

Loki laughed. It was easy, really. Playing someone. "I'm not so petty." He assured him. Another lie, but that was neither here nor there. "Loki, Prince of Asgard." He then said, nodding his formal greeting to Tony and being pleasantly surprised when it was returned in the exact same manner. So he could be polite then. 

"Loki." Tony frowned for a moment, before snapping his fingers, " _Thor's_ brother?" At a look Loki must clearly not have been fast enough to hide, he winced, "Not such _good_ brothers, then."

Loki made a face, "Well, we are brothers, it's only natural." Alright. _That_ had not been easy - but he'd live. 

"Not sure if that's supposed to mean something to me, or not. I'm an only child, as you can probably know." Loki looked him over with a smirk, making it just on the edge of obvious and turning his gaze away when Tony noticed. 

"Yes. That must have been hard." The wind here really was cool. It didn't affect him so much, though, the cold had never really bothered him, but Tony most likely was feeling that chill. And if he was going to do this _right_ ...  He unclasped his cloak from around his neck and draped it over his companion's shoulders, "Lonely, I'd imagine." 

Tony blinked, glancing at him. He didn't oppose the coat, but he didn't thank the kindness either. He seemed to not really know what to think. "A little." He finally murmured, softly, looking back out at the ocean. "Obi. My - guardian. He's always been more than a little strict with me. He says that he's just following my father's will, so I get that he's only looking out for me, but - sometimes I really would like to just leave here, you know? Go out and explore something." This was perfect. He was already warming up to him, desperate for someone to understand, glad to have an open ear to blurt his dreams out to, "But now I'm King, so that's pretty much impossible." 

Loki nudged his shoulder gently, "Not necessarily. Look at me. I'm here as my brother's representative, but in the future you will not have one. You will have to travel yourself." 

He received only a shrug in return, "Maybe. Obi's in charge of most things, though, so I'll have to see." But _he_ was King now, Loki wanted to remind him, but that wouldn't exactly help _him_ , so instead, he just gave his most comforting smile and leant closer; using his body language to let Tony assume that he was only so close to warm him up. 

"What about you anyway, Loki of Asgard?" Face bright now, with no sign of the minor fear and loss that he had just now been expressing, Tony turned his faze toward him and grinned, "What do _you_ want to do with your life? Represent your brother for the rest of your days?"

Loki snorted, "Hardly. I don't truly have any aspirations, actually. I'm second in line to the throne so there _is_ nothing royally there for me other than to take an advisory role. I would much rather like to travel, instead. Stop by every now and again for some important notices and orders before setting out to see the world." Tony's eyes followed his as he 'stared' out at the ocean again, and he knew that he had gotten him now. 

"And you can just do that? Just go off and only come back when you're needed?" 

"Of course." Loki answered, because it was the truth anyway, "Kings of the past ruled that way, sometimes, especially when they were scouring for more Isles to take over and start their lives on. How do you think our lands became so big? There was a strategy to it. Even Vanaheimr's Queen still does this." Looking at Tony, acting as best he could that he had only just thought of this idea, he started, "I could - take you if you'd like? Traveling is only exhilarating, after all, if there is someone there to share it with." 

Tony gave him a look, "We barely know each other, but thanks. That sounds - it sounds really great, actually, though." 

"We barely know each other _now_." Loki corrected. "Who knows what will happen, in time. I only really talk to those that I find will be interesting or similar to me anyhow, and you fit both of that criteria. Especially from our - _ahem_ \- first meeting." Tony laughed softly, glancing down and playing with the collar of his ceremonial jacket. "Do I _really_ look like 'death on legs'?" 

"Sorry." He didn't sound it, but he was making him laugh, and that was far better. "I can be testy sometimes. Well." He made a face. "A lot of the time. But you'll get used to it, if you're planning on staying here for longer." 

Loki took his hand, bowing and bringing it up to his lips in a gesture that Asgardians upheld. By the flush of surprise and pleasure on Tony's cheeks, he guessed that it wasn't a custom here, but nevertheless, it had the effect that he'd hoped for. "I look forward to it."

 

~

 

* * *

 

~

 

  

The sound of laughter filled the halls of Midgard's palace. 

"Are you _serious_? There's no way he fell for that." It had only been a month since their first few meetings, and Loki had already concluded that Tony Stark's laugh was too infectious for it's own good. 

"I admit, it sounds too close to a lie to be real, but Thor wore that dress with _glory_ , I assure you." Tony giggled over the bed, parchment and ink pots over the desk before him as he struggled to look over them alongside Loki's distractions. He'd planned to do all this only to make it seem like he was a bad King, but barely a little while into actually thinking of distractions, he'd found himself enjoying the conversation. Maybe liking Tony could happen then, but that didn't necessarily mean that it would have be a problem. 

Did it? 

"I can't believe you. What, and it _worked_?" 

"It all went perfectly according to plan." They laughed together, the sound not entirely unpleasant, but it was unfortunately interrupted by a knock at the door. 

"Come in." Tony called out and Stane entered immediately, giving Loki a look that he'd gotten used to over this past month, already, "Obi! I'm almost done with the signing, I'll get it to you by - " 

"The council has been waiting for over half an hour now, Tony." Stane cut him off, giving him a look usually reserved for children. "You've _got_ to get better with this timing." 

Tony's back straightened at the brief reprimand but he hid it in the next second and stood up, "I'm the King. My council can wait a little while, for me, if they have to. I'm meant to be _really_ busy anyway, aren't I." Stane only rolled his eyes, dropping his smile when Tony looked away from him and walked out. Hm. Maybe Loki wouldn't even _have_ to stage that assassination. It might happen anyway. He bristled a little at the thought, but pressed it down quickly. Tony turned back. "You coming Loki?" 

"The council is only for the _Midgardian_ law." Stane advised with a scowl, glaring as Loki rose to follow Tony out. 

"Yeah, and _Loki's_ here as my allied representative if I need to consult him on other kingdom matters." Was the light reply and he barely hid his smile at that, hoping that Stane saw it and hated him even more. 

It was highly amusing, if he was entirely honest with himself.

 "Ignore him." Tony told him as the doors shut and Stane had walked on ahead of them, "If I want you here, you can be here. He's just a little tetchy about strangers." And you, evidently. "Also, um." Stopping entirely, Loki was pulled to one side by a hand on his sleeve, "Can I - just run by what's going to happen before we go in there?" 

He frowned, "What do you mean?" 

"Uh." Tony sucked in a breath, nervous for some reason all of a sudden, and it showed so obviously that he knew how much Tony already trusted him. And it had only been a month. Maybe he really _was_ so starved for some company that he was naked to the signs of dishonesty. "Look. I trust you, okay." And that certain admission certainly made a prophet out of him. "And I need to trust my council too, so - look, I'll just spit it out, I've made them wait too long as it is." He shut his eyes for a second, readying himself, "I ... um. I have this _thing_. It's actually something that I've always had, something I was born with, but I've hidden it for all my life. My dad told me that people would fear and hate an abnormality like it and it's mostly why Obi's never let me out so much before." 

Loki tilted his head, showing him that he was interested, though he actually really was at the same time, "What is it?" 

Tony pressed his lips together, bracing himself, " _This_." Holding out a gloved hand, he slipped the red-silk off of it slowly, flexing his pale fingers in the light as they contrasted with the rest of his tanned skin. Curling them into a fist, then, he skimmed his hand against the wall and stepped back to show it's effect. Slowly, from the areas that he had first touched, trickles of ice spread across the stone of the wall, seeping into the cracks and turning the ugly, creamed color into something sparkling and _blue_. 

Ice.

"I know it's weird. I _know_. I hate it myself, it's like a fucking curse that's never left me alone." Slipping the glove back on, Tony hugged himself awkwardly. The very opposite to how he normally acted. "I wear the gloves to hide it, so - so it doesn't turn everything that I touch to ice. But today we're _ruling_ on magic so I wanted to show you this in case you ruled in favor of it being banned entirely. You're here as my ally and I don't want to be alone in being the only vote that doesn't want that. I don't use my powers, but I do have them. Other people might be in the same position and - " He paused, looking at Loki, "Uh, Loki? Are you okay?" 

Loki didn't say anything. He simply continued to stare at the wall. 

"You're freaked out aren't you. Look, I know it's weird, I said that, but  - " 

"You have the power of winter." Loki murmured finally, cutting him off effectively, despite how quietly he'd spoken. Tony stood before him, his eyes pleading for some acknowledgment of what he'd said, "You. Have the _power_. Of _winter_." 

"... yeah." Darting his eyes down the hall, Tony gestured that he speak a little softer, "And I'd really like for no one to know just before a vote on the subject." 

"I don't think you quite understand my excitement, here, Tony." Loki breathed, something warm bubbling up just above his stomach, because _this_. This was _amazing_. All this time, all his life in fact, he had thought himself alone in this. Hated in his own kingdom for holding a power that they did not understand, and now he'd come to another one only to find that the King of this kingdom had the exact same problem. Only this time, the people didn't know about it. 

He wasn't as alone as he'd thought. 

"Because there is something that I need to tell _you_ , as well." Lifting his own hand, he fanned his fingers over another section of the wall, leaning over Tony to do so, and spreading ice into the cracks of the plaster as well. 

Tony stared, his lips parting as the chill from the show of magic sent a shiver through him, and his eyes reflected it's light rather nicely; the brown turning into a golden hue of mixed emotion. 

"You - " 

Loki dropped his hands, wiping the wall of both their spells, "Yes." He simply said with a smile, "I had no idea you had the same, or else I would have said." Would he have though? Or he would he have tried to use that to his benefit? He doesn't even know, but right now, he can't help but feel so immensely overjoyed at the fact that there is someone else with his power. 

Tony wasn't the only one who had suffered from loneliness. 

There was a bell around them then, signifying the next hour, and they both jerked their heads toward the doors leading into the hall. Where the council was waiting. Gripping his arm, Loki stopped Tony from walking away, "Wait." 

"I can't, Loki, I'm late. We'll - talk about this later, because seriously, it needs talking about, but I can't right now - " 

"You need to tell the council of your powers." 

Tony blinked at him, "What?" He took a step away, pulling his arm back, "I - didn't you hear me before, I _can't._ " 

"They will never rule in favor of magic unless they see that their King has powers himself." 

"What if they _hate_ me instead? Then I'd never get that vote. I'd never get anything, I'd be outlawed." 

Loki shrugged, "Risk it. This is more important." He reached for Tony again but his hand was slapped away. 

"Risk it? This is my _home_ , we're talking about Loki. What the hell is this, I thought I could trust you." 

Rolling his eyes, a bout of irritation building now because they were running out of time here, he grasped at his hands; the gloves sliding a little off which stopped Tony from tugging them back lest they come off completely, "Then you should really learn _who_ to _trust_ , better," He sneered, the charm that he had been wearing all this time melting off. Tony stared at him, eyes wide with surprise. 

He tried to take his hands back, "Y - what is your problem. Let go of them, Loki, I swear, no one can know. It's not _safe_." 

Refusing to release him, however, Loki only held on all the more tighter, "If they rule against magic, your Kingdom will become as poisoned as mine is." 

"Then vote with me on this. But if I let them know now, then I don't know what their reaction will be. They could all turn against me, and according to my dad, that's very, _very_ likely." 

Giving him a pitying look, Loki clenched his hands around Tony's making him wince, "My father this. Obi that. Are any of your decisions ever going to be your own or do you simply not trust your own _judgement_?" 

Tony looked as though he'd been struck. "I - " 

"Well perhaps that's for the better, anyway. You cannot even tell that _I've_ been using you all this time, how could you do anything else?" 

There was immediately a long pause between them and Loki debated on how both relieving and stupid that statement had been. Tony stared at him over their clasped hands, so openly wounded that he almost felt _guilty._ " ... what?" He asked; voice small. " _Using_ me?" 

Loki sighed, meeting his gaze, "Think about it Tony. Second in line to the throne? Did you honestly think that I'd never want my one of my own? I even said it to you, once, that I'd been told all my life that I would be a King and you never _once_ suspected?" 

Tony wrenched his hands back, the gloves now remaining locked in Loki's fists, "I thought you were sympathizing with me! I _thought_ I could trust you." Alright. So maybe that _was_ guilt. Damn it. He could still ignore it though. Easily, he was sure. 

It was what he did. 

Before either of them could say anything else, however, the doors to the hall clicked open and Stane walked out with most of the council behind him. Loki saw them, glanced at Tony - saw his begging shake of a head - and opened his mouth to speak but he barely got anything else before Tony put his hands out to stop him, " _Don't_ \- !" 

Ice shot out from his palms, hitting the ornaments behind Loki and shattering them as soon as they were touched. Snow and chill settled into the hall from that explosion of fear Tony had sent forth, and he froze once he realised what he'd just done; staring at the gloves that were still in Loki's hands. "No. I - " 

Stane took a few steps forward, shock evident on his face even though he'd _known_ about this for as long as Tony had, " _Magic_?" He spat, staring at his King. Tony turned to stare at him, his hands held up defensively, and he walked forward to explain himself before skidding to a halt as his council members huddled backward with murmurs of shock. "So _that's_ why Howard never let you out." 

"Obi - " 

"Arrest him!" Tony staggered back as his own men jumped to attention and began marching toward him. Loki lurched back as they passed him, frowning as he tried to process all that was suddenly happening. 

This hadn't been what he had been expecting, really. 

"Obi, what are you _doing,_ you _kno_ \- " 

"Don't let him say another spell, he'll freeze you all!" Stane ordered, bustling everyone out of the corridor for their own "safety". Turning his back on Tony as the guards fanned around him. Tony stared at each of them, wide-eyed and breathing quickly. Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of betrayal that he had just received from two of the people he thought he trusted. 

Loki swallowed past a dry throat, gripping the gloves still in his hands, tighter. 

"Come with us, quietly, sire." One of the guards ordered, holding out a hand for Tony to place his wrist on, "We don't want to hurt you." 

Tony blinked, looking at the armored hand offered to him before stepping backward with a glare, "Me either." He snarled, anger clearly taking the lead in emotions and he jammed his hands into the armor of both guards; freezing them from the knees down until they were completely stuck to the ground. Without another word, or even another look at Loki, Tony turned tail and _ran_. 

Loki stood there, staring after him and watching as clouds of ice followed his every step. He wasn't trained then, was afraid of his own power as he believed others would be afraid of it. And now his prediction of being outlawed had come true. 

All thanks to Loki. He scowled to himself. Guilt? What guilt? He didn't _feel_ guilt. 

Never. 

 

**_~_ **

****

* * *

****

**_~_ **

 

 

Stane moved very fast. 

By the time night fell, there were patrols out almost everywhere to bring Tony Stark to 'justice'. He'd seemingly disappeared, however, which frustrated the newly-restored steward; Loki could easily see it from where he hid from view, listening to speeches and orders and regretting so much what he had done. 

Evidently, he _did_ feel guilt, then. And lots of it.

He hadn't meant for this to happen, though. Why had it gotten so complicated? Tony had only meant to have been some air-headed beauty that Loki would have felt no remorse in killing and using. Instead, he had ended up being so much more - intelligent, funny, sweet and, now, _powerful._ The beauty had only been an added-on feature instead of the main quality, and now he had driven him from his own home. All because he'd wanted to test whether another Kingdom would treat someone with magic like _he_ had been before. 

But still. Maybe he could fix this. 

Already, Stane had banned magic from the kingdom and was spreading lies and rumors of Tony to cause anyone to fear his return. Finding him and telling him about this might be the only way that he could actually get him to come back himself. 

_Trust_ was obviously not going to be a part of it.

 

.

 

* * *

.

 

 

It was a journey of over a day until he eventually found a sign telling him that Tony had passed by this way. The ground had frozen completely over here, and slow-melting snow dripped from the trees. He ducked past drooping branches and slipped twice over the ice beneath his boots as he walked, careful not to actually fall over as he did. 

"Tony?" He called, squinting down at a footprint imprinted into the mud. "It's Loki. I know that you're near." There was a snap from behind him and he whirled around immediately, holding his arm up in defense when a shot of ice propelled through the air toward him. It embedded itself in the shield of ice that he threw up before him and he stared at the sharpened edge of it's tip, "Wh - are you mad?! You almost  _killed_ me - !" 

"That was kind of the _point_!" Tony screamed from wherever he was hidden, jumping out of shadows and shoving his arms forward to send a blizzard of snow toward Loki, knocking him off of his feet, "I trusted you!" 

"I only knew you for a _month!_ " Loki snarled back at him, sending the blizzard away and curling snow into his hands to throw toward him. 

"A month is _plenty!"_

"Tony, you really should not be so _naive_ ... !" 

"What the hell's _naivety_ got to do with it?" The snow turned to sludge and Tony spun over the ice under him himself, to increase the momentum of his own throw, "I know the truth, now, so I'm guessing that you were planning on _killing_ me or something? If you wanted a throne so badly." 

"That was the plan, yes." Loki agreed, ignoring the rise of hurt in Tony's eyes as his assumption ringing true, "But plans change." 

"Oh _really_? And has yours?" 

"Yes. I wasn't actually meant to like you _back_ , but life works in funny ways, unfortunately." 

Tony scoffed, glaring at him as icily as his own powers, "And I'm supposed to _believe_ that, Mr I-like-to-lie-and-use-people?" 

Loki shrugged, lurching out the way when another icicle was sent toward him, "Believe what you must, but at least think on it. Why _else_ would I be here? If the throne was all I really cared about, wouldn't I rather just kill Stane now, and have you _both_ out the way? You exiled and him dead, and everyone knows how you trust me; you were so _open_ with it. I could so easily tell your kingdom that you'd passed the throne down to me." 

Tony glared. "No one would believe that." 

"I can be _very_ persuasive." 

The chill that had surrounded them abruptly fell at that and Tony sank onto a stump of a tree, putting his head in his hands, "I hate you." He mourned. Loki lowered his own hands from where they were forming icicles and he paused, chewing on the inside of his cheeks. 

"I'm sorry." He offered, awkwardly, but he didn't get an answer. Clearly, Tony was still processing how close he had actually let Loki in, and how he could so easily have let him take control of his kingdom. It was a lot to take in, and wounding more than likely too. "But you don't have to trust me for this. I came to find you because Stane has outlawed magic in your kingdom now." Tony snapped his head up, "You need to return and convince your people of the opposite." 

The look that he received then was nothing short of murderous. " _That's_ why you're here?" Ah. "You - " Tony stood, clenching his hands into fists and the cold returned. "What, no _apology,_ or anything? You're only here because you want _magic_." 

"And you should too." 

Tony stared at him. "Oh I do. You know I do already, you fucking bastard. And that's not the point, you - you're just - " He struggled to find a suitable word to describe just how he felt about Loki right now, and perhaps that was actually for the best, judging from his expression, "Have you just been pretending to be a whole other _person_ this entire time?" 

"Sometimes." He told him, truthfully too - for once. "I was myself with you once or twice." 

"Sure you were _. When_? _Hm_?" 

He took a step forward, pushing his hair back from his face, "Whenever I made you laugh." He murmured, and though it was quietly said through the wind, he knew that Tony heard him perfectly clear. "I _like_ you hear you laugh." 

There was a pause. Tony looked at him, softening almost, before suddenly shards of ice were sent flinging toward him with a cry. He ducked out of the way quickly, hitting his back against a tree for protection and drawing up another shield around him to help with that a little more. "Stop _playing_ me!" 

This was getting ridiculous, he needed to get him back. _Before_ anything else happened on Midgard, or then neither of them would get what they wanted. Moving out from behind the tree, he kicked off of a boulder beside him and sent down his own hail of ice. Tony darted out of the way, crashing his powers into Loki's. Only they'd moved together, which meant that their magic collided in a mix, hitting their peak _at the same time_. 

There was a second where everything was almost _complete_ silence. 

And then it all imploded. 

Loki landed hard on his back, staring up at the sky with his ears ringing and his eyes flickering with white dots. No, wait. Not dots. _Snow_. He sat up slowly, frowning and blinking, and looking around as a trickle of shock ran down his neck. 

Oh no. 

Their spell had obviously merged. The summer, and the _warmth_ , that had been around them before was gone. Every flower, every tree, rock, and stream here was now utterly frozen over, with no warning at all. Animals were shivering, scurrying everywhere to quickly find somewhere where they wouldn't feel the chill, and still. Snow continued to fall from the pale blue sky. 

Tony moaned on the floor in front of him, slowly getting to his feet as well and staring around him. "Oh God." He met Loki's eyes, realizing just what had happened as well. Their powers must have clashed in some way, hitting like they had, and now. Now they had caused _this_. Oh this was bad. Very bad. Not many could survive in conditions like this, especially when there had been no warning of it approaching. 

Now they would hate Tony, and magic, even more. 

As if on cue, the guards that Stane had sent looking came lumbering up the hill opposite them and saw the both of them standing in the midst of their icy fight. "Anthony Stark, you are under arrest for crimes against your kingdom!" Tony staggered back when he heard them, still slightly in shock over what he had caused, "And for causing this - " The guard speaking looked around, eyes-wide, "This winter." He lowered his sword in a show of mercy, "Please surrender, sire." 

Loki caught his gaze, shaking his head. He was only glared at horribly in return, but then Tony was running anyway. He knew that Loki was right - whether he liked it or not. 

" _After him_!" 

The guards skid all over the snow as they ran after their King, arrows at the ready to fire. Loki shook his hand behind his back, bringing up a fog before them that blinded them enough into both being unable to see Tony or to fire. 

So, fortunately, he was still alive. 

_Un_ fortunately, this now meant that he would have to find him all over again. 

.

 

* * *

 

**Midgard's palace.**

 

* * *

 

.

 

 

"Lord Stane, sir. We just received word from one of the patrols. They found the King but - he escaped." 

"Then send them after him, _again_. He has to be _found_!" 

"Yes sir. But - there's something else that I think you should know too." 

Stane turned from where he was stood, looking down at the messenger, "What?" 

"It seems that, uh, the King has also caused a harsh winter. Everything all over is frozen." 

There was a staged pause. "Then I am afraid he has left me no choice. As there is no one else here to take over after his treason, _I_ shall have to become King in his place." 

There was only a brief moment of hesitation at that, but the messenger must obviously have been expecting it because - "Yes, sir. I'll inform the council." 

"Yes, of course. Tell them _everything_." He called after her, waiting just until she had almost left before - "And Miss Potts?" She stopped, looking back at him, "Make sure they do find Tony. He could be hurt out there, all alone. And we need to stop him before he does anything else." 

She looked at him for a while before nodding, "Yes, I know."

 

.

 

* * *

. 

 

He really was so predictable, it was almost laughable.

Loki found Tony again in barely just under three more hours, and by that time it was getting dark. He didn't really need the light, though, when he saw what Tony had done with his powers. The mansion that he had found, made entirely of ice, lay almost within the mountain's side, finished off with stairs leading upward and even _patterns_ in the doors. Well. He'd probably had a lot of fun using it like this, then, especially if he had repressed it all these years. 

He waited for a second more, hoping that this wouldn't lead to another argument, before pushing the doors open. "Oh." The inside was as glamorous as it's outside and the furnishings reminded him of Tony's forging room back at Midgard's palace, where he had shared his love for inventing and getting his _own_ hands dirty with Loki. He clearly thought that he was going to be spending a lot of time here. 

"Impressed?" He looked up at the sound of his voice, smiling. 

"Maybe." He gave, turning to find his careful way toward him, "Lonely, however, is it not?" It was a reminder of their first/second meeting and Tony glanced away. 

"That's the point. I can't _control_ my powers, Loki, it's better if I'm alone. I mean, I didn't even know that I could do _this_." He gestured around him. "It just - came out. And now, out there, what I did to the summer too. It's safer this way.."

"Is it though?" Loki prodded, stepping closer, "Those guards are still out there. And Stane will not stop looking for you." 

Tony stiffened. The topic was probably still sore. "Did you know?" He blurted, "About Obi?" 

Loki considered not answering. Or even _lying_  and - no. He'd lied enough. "Yes." He finally murmured, watching as Tony shut his eyes afterward, and sighed. 

"So _he_ wants my throne too, huh. Figures." He huffed out a bitter laugh. "God, is there _anyone_ I can trust?" 

He seemed to be asking himself more than actually talking to Loki, but he answered him anyway. "You can trust me." Tony gave him a dirty look. "You can. _Yes_ , I lied to you. And yes I wanted your throne, but as I said before. Plans change." 

"Really?" Tony rolled his eyes, "So _now_ what do you want?" 

"Honestly?" Loki placed his hand over Tony's where it was leaning on a table made from ice, "You." That led to a surprised start, and the hand was slipped out from under his. 

"Stop it."

"No, I promise you, Tony. This time, it is not a lie." 

"And how am I supposed to believe you, after what you did?" 

Loki sneered at him, "Why else would I be here? I always have a motive, Tony, that's the one thing I never really told you about me. First it had been your throne, and it still is, in some ways, but not as much as I - well. Not as much as I want _you_." 

The wind howled outside as they stood there, looking at each other, but then Tony quickly turned away and walked up the stairs behind him. "I can't go back." 

"No, you _can_." Loki countered, following him upstairs. 

"Loki, back off, and listen to what I'm saying. It's not safe. Whether I believe you or not, that winter out there could kill people. And it's all my fault. So I'm not going back. It's in the past." 

"Correction." Loki blocked his path, "That winter is _our_ fault. And if we can reverse it, then we can show your people that magic is not so dangerous." 

"Why do you even care about that law so much? Asgard doesn't even have one." 

"Not officially, no." Loki muttered bitterly, "But that does not stop the people from fearing and isolating those with it. Namely, _me_." Tony looked at him oddly so, with a sigh, he explained, "You and I were born with this, Tony, but we do not deserve this - _prejudice_ that we receive in turn _. That_ is why I care so much about this law. Your Kingdom has the ability to welcome what I _have._ And I am so tired of hiding it." 

Tony pressed his lips together when he finished, glancing down at the boots that he had made from his ice. And it was then that Loki realised that the ceremonial clothes he had been wearing were now cleaner-cut and snow-white in color; shining off of him. It looked stunning. "Me too." He blinked, looking up at that admission. "I'm - really fucking tired of hiding it, too." 

Their eyes met and Tony smiled at him then, soft and in understanding. "Good." Loki said briskly, "Then all we need to do is turn back this winter." 

"Wait. Why don't you just do it, yourself?" 

"Because we created it _together._ Therefore we must end it together." 

"But - " Tony bit down on his bottom lip, looking at his open and pale hands, "I don't know _how._ I'm not so good at controlling it, it just - " 

"Don't think of it as control." Loki interrupted him. "Magic cannot be controlled. It's like energy. It cannot be created, nor destroyed." 

"Only changed." Tony finished for him, some understanding dawning on him. 

"Precisely. And all it takes ... " Reaching out, he took each of Tony's hands into his own, "Is a _feeling_." 

 

**_~_ **

****

* * *

****

**_~_ **

 

 

"Tell me _again_ , how a _twenty-one_ year old can just _disappear_?" Wood creaked beneath Stane's hands as he glared down at the guard sat before him. 

"We searched everywhere, Sir, we swear. He isn't anywhere." 

"Don't be _ridiculous_ , he must be _somewhere_." Turning his back toward him, he frowned out the window. 

The guard rose at the blatant dismissal, annoyed that he was ordered after a boy who had actually treated him well, before - 

"You're right Obi, I _am_ somewhere." The both of them whirled around at the sound of that voice and Stane had his hands in his pocket for a knife in just a second, almost about to fling it before Loki sent his own ice to freeze him in motion.  

" _Ah_ _-_ " More ice continued to travel up from his legs and down from his arms before he could do anything, completely swallowing him up. 

"Loki, _don't_. He's not worth it." 

With only his face left, the spreading stopped. "I completely disagree, but fine. Your choice." 

"Tony!" Stane gasped through the cold, a look of irritation flickering in his eyes when the guard - instead of helping him - just fled the scene with a smile, "Thank _God_ you're okay, I had patrols looking for you - !" 

"Patrols armed to kill on sight?" Tony asked, sweetly, "Right." 

"What? That's not right, Tony, I didn't tell them that. I swear. Let me find out how that - " 

"Actually," A voice from the corner of the room spoke up and a young woman stepped out from behind the doorway that she'd been waiting in, "That's not entirely true." Meeting Tony's eyes, she smiled, no fear of him evident despite now knowing about his powers as well, "As you know, part of my job is to document words spoken during council and guardsmen meetings." She opened a leaf of parchment, "I have every word written here showing that Lord Stane had ordered you to be killed without so much as a trial or proof of crime." She smiled. "I was hoping you'd come back, so I could use it. Glad you're okay, Tony." 

"Thanks Pep," Tony smiled at her back, a slight cool breeze filling the room at his satisfaction from now having enough evidence to have Stane down for treason. He gave him a grin. "Looks like you can't play me _this t_ ime, Obi."

And then he drew back his fist to punch him, _hard_.

 

.

 

* * *

 

.

The people crowded around while Tony and Loki stood before each other on the grounds. Some still stood cowering, despite the council's announcement of Stane' betrayal and rumors against their King, but that soon stopped as soon as their hands touched and their magic bled into the ground. 

Ice began to melt with the warmth that they brought back together and once the sun peaked back through the sky, there was sudden cheering around all of them in celebration over the return of summer. 

Grinning at Loki at the reaction that they'd gotten, Tony leant forward and pressed his lips to his cheek with a wink, before walking back into the palace to make certain that that law was revoked. Loki watched him leave with a smile on his face, aware now that there was no place he would rather be than here. 

He ran into the palace afterward, as well, looking around to see if anything had changed during Stane's brief rule. There was nothing. Not even - 

" _Rah_!" Spinning on his heels, he jumped back with a bitten-off shout, and shot out a whirl of snow in reflex. Tony deflected it, laughing away at the _'look on Loki's face_ '. 

He really did have such a lovely laugh.

 

* * *

.

 

A few months later, with no true wish for the throne anymore, Loki proposed during the end of a banquet.

 

* * *

 .

 

A week later, after having made Loki almost _regret_ asking at all, Tony said yes. And while Pepper Potts took over the everyday duties, they traveled together as they'd said they would before, returning only when needed.

Letting the winds that they could make with their magic carry them back together.

.

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for any typos, I only managed to write this in a few hours D:


End file.
